Being Autistic At the Airport: Not My Favorite Thing

By Michael Kelman Portney

Airports are a complete fucking shitshow for a lot of autistic people, plain and simple. They’re one of the most overstimulating, chaotic environments you can possibly imagine, crammed with unexpected triggers at every goddamn turn. The crowding, the constant announcements blaring overhead, the lines that never end, the frantic energy of people stressing about flights—it’s all an absolute recipe for sensory overload.

I’m not going to sugarcoat this shit: If you’re on the spectrum, stepping into an airport can be like bracing for a goddamn avalanche of noise, crowds, and bright lights. Let’s talk about why:

1. Sensory Overload at Every Corner
   Airports assault all your senses at once. You’ve got fluorescent lights shining like a thousand fucking suns, announcements echoing in every direction, the smell of burnt coffee and stale food lingering in the air, and a million people shouting into their phones or stomping around with luggage. It’s an unrelenting onslaught, and there’s no quick way out once you’re stuck in that line for security or immigration.

2. Unpredictable, Last-Minute Changes
   If there’s one thing most of us on the spectrum hate, it’s last-minute schedule changes. Airports thrive on that shit. Flights get delayed, gates get changed, the line is suddenly longer than you expected, or a random security measure turns into a three-hour fiasco. That lack of structure can be massively distressing for someone who relies on routine or clear expectations just to maintain basic fucking sanity.

3. Forced Social Interaction
   The barrage of check-ins, security questions (“Did you pack your bag yourself?”), or just the idle small talk from the person next to you in the waiting area can be a nightmare. Keeping your composure while simultaneously monitoring your environment for potential triggers is about as relaxing as juggling chainsaws. And let’s be real, some staff and fellow travelers can be assholes if you show any sign of stress or confusion.

4. Claustrophobic Crowds
   Autism often comes with heightened anxiety around proximity and personal space. Airports basically laugh at the idea of personal space. You’re jammed in lines, crammed into shuttle buses, or forced to weave through corridors of meandering travelers. There’s no break or gentle reprieve unless you shell out for some fancy lounge or find the rare quiet corner.

5. Security Theater and the Pat-Down Nightmare
   TSA or other security checkpoints can feel invasive as hell. You might get singled out for extra screening for reasons that make zero fucking sense. Then you have to deal with pat-downs, scanners, or rummaging through your meticulously packed bag. One small beep from a metal detector is enough to spike your anxiety levels through the roof, especially when you’re not sure what set it off.

6. The Waiting Game
   You often end up waiting for hours (or forever if you’re unlucky). You can’t exactly pace around if that’s your usual coping mechanism—there’s only so much pacing you can do before people give you looks. Stimming can draw judgmental stares too, so you feel stuck trying to hold yourself together in an environment built to break you down.

7. Meltdown Management
   The biggest concern is the risk of having a meltdown in public. Airports provide minimal ways to escape when you’re overwhelmed. You could go to a bathroom stall or find some corner away from the crowds, but even that’s not always feasible. The fear of losing control in the middle of a throng of impatient travelers can be terrifying, and it ramps up the stress even more.

So, How the Hell Do You Survive It?

• Plan Ahead Like a Motherfucker: Research the airport layout, figure out where the quieter spots might be, and brace yourself for potential delays.

• Pack Your Own Comfort Tools: Noise-canceling headphones, sunglasses, fidget toys—these are not negotiable. Don’t let anyone shame you for needing them.

• Speak Up if You Need Accommodations: Some airlines or airports have programs for special assistance if you let them know you’re autistic, or need help navigating the lines.

• Routine, Routine, Routine: Try to standardize the parts of the trip you can control—like your bedtime, what you wear, or your pre-flight rituals—so the chaos doesn’t fully swallow you.

• Give Yourself Extra Time: This is huge. Everything takes longer than you think at an airport. Showing up early can help you avoid the crushing anxiety of rushing.

Airports can be a genuine fucking nightmare for autistic individuals. The sensory overload, sudden changes, forced interactions, and claustrophobic crowds create a perfect storm of potential meltdown triggers. It’s not that we can’t travel—we can, with the right prep and coping strategies—but holy shit is it taxing on the mind and body.

The next time you see someone struggling in an airport, whether they’re flapping their hands or looking visibly stressed, have some fucking empathy. Most people have no idea how brutal it can be to navigate that labyrinth of chaos when every sense you have is screaming at you to get out.

And if you’re the autistic traveler reading this, just know you’re not alone. Airports suck for us on a fundamental level, but we find ways to push through. It helps to arm yourself with self-knowledge, plan ahead, and remember that you only have to survive this swirling shitstorm long enough to get to your flight. And once you’re on the other side, you can collapse in peace, far away from the fluorescent hellscape that is the modern airport.

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Posted by Michael Kelman Portney